


Cherry, Atitcus, and The Rescuers

by PerkyGoth14



Category: The Rescuers (1977)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-21 00:19:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3670425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cherry and Atticus have a coincidental visit to New York, Cherry goes to visit her sister and Atticus goes to visit his aunt and uncle who are anxious to have children of their own. However, while visiting, there is a case of a missing orphan from Morningside Orphanage who needs to be found as she is forced to be getting The Devil's Eye, the biggest diamond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Blah, blah, blah, based on an RP... Blah, blah, blah, only own OC's... Blah, blah, blah... Oh, and there's a mention of a miscarriage in this chapter, don't hold it against me, I promise, I'll make it up in the end! Read & Review...

Jessica was checking the mail since she was the first one awake and she flipped through the envelopes and saw something that made her eyes lit up. It was from New York and from someone very close to her family. She decided to be the one to open it and she took out a letter from a couple named Stacy and Jeffrey. Unknown to her, Atticus was now walking downstairs.

"Hey, bro." Jessica greeted as she smiled at the letter.

"How did you know?" Atticus asked his older sister.

"I might be a mother someday," Jessica chuckled. "I got superpowers like Mom."

"True, but, so do I, remember I don't only have skills as a detective, but I also have superstrength, anyways, what's that letter you got there?" Atticus asked her.

"It's from Aunt Stacy and Uncle Jeffry." Jessica showed him with a smile.

"Cool." Atticus said.

They then began to read the letter.

"'Dear Emily and Patrick,

It's been a while since we last seen each other. Stacy and I really hope your kids enjoyed their little presents from the heart for their Christmas. We really missed you and we're sorry we weren't able to come, but we were in the hospital, trying to see if Stacy could have the child she and I always wanted. Unfortunately, nature had been cruel to Stacy and she had a miscarriage... If it isn't too much trouble, would you be able to send your children over to visit us? They wouldn't be a burden, we love them like our own, you know where we are and please call or mail us back soon.

Best regards, Jeffry Sullivan.'"

"We've gotta give this letter to Mom and Dad." Atticus said.

"Yeah, it's for them." Jessica nodded, agreeing.

Finally, Emily woke up with a yawn.

Darla came behind her, climbing into a seat at the breakfast table, holding her head in her chubby little hands. "I had a dream that I went back to Hollywood and everyone hated me..."

"Oh, sweetie..." Jessica held her adoptive younger sister.

"Don't worry, Darla, it was just a nightmare." Atticus said.

"Why did I have to be such a brat?" Darla sighed.

"You were just lonely, you had millions of admirers, but no family," Jessica patted the girl's curly blonde hair. "It's all in the past now and we all love you."

Darla then smiled. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Jessica smiled to her. "Now, who wants some breakfast?"

"I do!" Darla beamed.

Emily smiled, she was going to make a nice, healthy breakfast.

Darla took the cereal box, she sighed a little. "I kinda miss seeing my face on merchandise..."

"You'll be fine," Jessica assured. "Also, Mom, you got a letter from your sister."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

Emily took the letter with a smile and murmured as she silently read it to herself, she looked concerned to hear her sister had a miscarriage, but thought it would be nice if Atticus, Jessica, and Darla would visit her and Jeffry in New York City. "Well... You guys ARE out of school for now, so I see nothing wrong with it."

"We're going to the Big City!?" Darla sounded so excited.

"Wahoo!" Atticus beamed.

Jessica smiled, she was excited, but since she already knew about this, she didn't clap or cheer like her brother and sister.

Emily smiled back. "There's no date... I guess I'll call her after breakfast and make plans with her."

"Okay." Atticus said.

Emily fed them pancakes with scrambled eggs and bacon, then went to the phone to call her sister up. Darla and Atticus were really excited about this. Emily and Stacy talked about arrangements and CONTINUED to talk a bit after that since they don't get to see each other very often anymore after they both got married, for Emily, having kids, unfortunately for Stacy, not being able to have children biologically after the scare of her miscarriage.

Darla ate her pancakes. "Are Aunt Stacy and Uncle Jeffry nice?" she asked.

"Yeah, they're really cool, you'll love them," Jessica smiled. "They always wanted their own kids... They usually buy a lot of things for us on Christmas or our birthdays."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

Darla smiled, then frowned. "What if they don't like me?"

"They will." Atticus said.

Darla kept eating her food, she was used to eating her 'Darla Smacks cereal' in the morning, but grew to like other foods and not just eating sweets all the time, she was also told if she hadn't stopped soon, she probably would have been the youngest recorded age to have DIABETES and not earning it from a family member. It could have killed her too at a young age and she probably would have been in a coma.

"Sounds great, mind meeting them at the airport?" Emily CONTINUED to talk with her sister. "Alright, they'll see you and Jeffry shortly."

Darla and Atticus then got really really excited. Jessica took out her cell phone again and started tapping away to her friends that she was going to be going away soon to visit relatives.

"I don't think I've had an aunt or uncle before." Darla smiled.

"They're the best." Atticus said.

Darla smiled, she was really growing out of being a famed child star who was brought down from her own selfishness and misdeeds.

"Poor Aunt Stacy though..." Jessica said softly. "Guys, don't bring it up, it's hard for someone to go through that."

"Your sister's right." Emily nodded.

"What's a miscarriage anyway?" Darla asked since she was the kid of her new family.

"We won't and I don't know what a miscarriage means." Atticus said.

"It's super sad." Jessica knew since she was the oldest.

Emily heaved a sigh, then sat with them. "Well... Someday, you all might want to start a family of your own... Who don't know when, but you know, when moms and dads want kids, they try to have a baby and then they finally have one, right?"

"Yeah?" Atticus said.

Darla nodded.

"Well... Sometimes, the baby can't be born..." Emily CONTINUED. "Sometimes... The mother 'loses the baby'... Like... The mother is pregnant and carrying the baby... But when a miscarriage happens... It just kills the baby inside the mother and is unable to be born..."

This shocks Atticus and Darla.

"Why did the baby die?" Darla's voice cracked.

"It's just how nature can be sometimes..." Emily replied softly. "It's always best to get plenty of rest when this happens... But your Aunt Stacy seems to be fine, she sounded a little happier on the phone. Maybe she was just excited to meet you all again."

"Yeah, that must be it." Atticus said.

"But please, don't bring it up to her or Uncle Jeffry, it's a very sensitive subject around a couple who's been through it." Emily said to her children.

"We promise, Mom." the three said together.

Emily smiled at them then. Atticus, Darla, and Jessica all then went to their rooms to pack their bags. Emily cleared the table as her husband came, she then told him about how her sister called and that Stacy and Jeffrey wanted to have Atticus, Jessica, and Darla over to visit.

"That sounds like a great idea, then that way, Darla can meet them." Patrick said.

"I hope Stacy's not jealous..." Emily rubbed her arm in concern. "You know how much she's wanted to have children with Jeffry..."

"Yes, I know." Patrick said.

Emily then hugged Patrick softly, sighing a little for her poor sister. "Well... She could always adopt... If she still wants to become a mother..."

"Yeah, but that's her decision to make." Patrick said.

Emily nodded, she just hoped the best for her sister. The kids were all packed, and there would be a ride to take them to the airport into New York City. They would probably be there by dinner time.

"I'm so excited, I've never been to New York City before." Atticus said.

"I went for a field trip once, a lot of my friends and I got lost in the shopping mall." Jessica giggled.

"I was actually born in New York, I don't know about the city, I can't remember." Darla shrugged, but still smiled, she was hugging Jessica's old teddy bear which was given to her after her first Christmas with her new family.

"Sounds exciting." Atticus said.

The driver finally pulled up to the airport. "We're here, sir and ma'am's."

"Darla, what do we say?" Jessica prompted.

"Oh," Darla nodded to her. "Thank you Mr. Driver for taking us to the airport for our parents."

"No problem," the driver looked back with a smile. "Have a good time."

It seemed as though Cherry was going to the airport too.

"I'm sure we will, sir." Atticus said.

The three siblings got out. Cherry was ahead of them with getting their tickets, she was even going to New York City too.

Darla looked distracted as she could've sworn she saw a green glass bottle with a note inside of it, but a bunch of mice gathered to see it for themselves. "What's that?" she asked herself.

"Darla, come on!" Jessica called. "We don't want to miss our flight." she went to the girl to hold her hand and walk with her.

A lot of adults were meeting from the United Nations, there were mice who had their own UN joining them, but for a different reason of the secret establishment of the Rescue Aid Society with mice involved.

Darla wanted to see what it was, but she followed Jessica and looked ahead. "Atticus, isn't that Cherry?"

"Yeah, it sure looks like her." Atticus said.

Cherry looked over briefly, she then saw her friends and smiled. "Hey, guys!" She walked over with her plane ticket to New York. "Long time no see."

"We're going to meet Stacy and Jeffry." Darla smiled.

"Stacy and Jeffry?" Cherry looked up from her and to Atticus and Jessica.

"Our aunt and uncle." Atticus explained.

"Oh," Cherry smiled. "I'm going to visit my sister."

"You have a sister?" Darla raised a brow.

"Yeah, she works in the United Nations now, Daddy thought it'd be nice if I visited her though." Cherry explained, she seemed very excited and delighted about seeing her sister she rarely got to see.

"Cool, I hope we get to meet her." Atticus said, she even sounded interesting to him.

"Yeah, she's the coolest." Cherry smiled.

'Flights for New York City are now boarding.' the intercom announced.

"Ooh, we better get moving." Cherry said quickly, grabbing her ticket.

Jessica rushed to get her, Darla, and Atticus on the plane, and they rushed to get in with anyone else going into New York.

'I have a feeling this is going to be a great adventure.' Atticus thought.

Cherry was seated away from the siblings, but Jessica, Atticus, and Darla were able to sit together on the plane. It would be about an hour and 45 minutes until they would land. There was a boy kicking the back of Darla's seat, she stood in her chair, glaring down at the brown-haired boy.

"Hey, cut it out!" Darla growled.

The boy blinked. "Hey, I know you! I went to see your movie premiere of Li'l Ark Angel!"

Darla thought for a moment. "You're that boy who wanted my autograph..."

"Yeah, I'm glad I never got it now," the boy scoffed to her. "You're a hasbeen now. After you disappeared, LB Mammoth was glad he never had to deal with the likes of you, he disowned you since you were technically his adoptive daughter."

Darla felt stung inside. "Well... I'm better now!" She reorted, then sat back down, folding her arms, but tears formed in her baby blue eyes.

Atticus gave her a tissue as he began to comfort her.

Darla sniffled, wiping her eyes and huddled against him, feeling a close brotherly and sisterly bond with him. "Thank you so much for adopting me... Even after I tried to kill you and your friends."

"The past is the past." Atticus said while comforting her.

Darla sighed, slightly shaking, but settled in his comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

The plane seemed to take a while, but it was finally going down the runway to take them to the New York airport. Atticus was going to make sure that Darla remained happy during this trip. Cherry decided to wait with the Fudo siblings until her sister or their aunt and uncle would arrive to take them to their designated locations. Darla seemed happy to see Cherry again and happily told her she was attending school now and she had a best friend named Amber, who was actually found out to be the niece of Roger and Anita with the Dalmatians. They were all now waiting for Cherry's sister and Atticus, Jessica, and Darla's aunt and uncle. 

Cherry's sister came first. "TERI!" she happily ran to the adult woman.

"Cherry!" Teresa smiled back, hugging her younger sister.

Darla couldn't help but notice that Cherry and Teresa didn't really look alike that much. Atticus and Jessica noticed this too. 

Teresa smiled from the hug and looked over, catching their weird stares. "What?"

"You guys don't look like each other..." Jessica said. "Is one of you adopted?"

"Actually, Cherry and I are half-sisters." Teresa replied.

"What does that mean?" Darla asked.

"We have the same dad, but different mothers, but we're still sisters, even if we don't have the same Mom." Cherry concluded.

"Cool." Atticus said.

"Well, we need to get going, we'll all get to know each other better a little later." Teresa waved.

"Bye, guys." Cherry said, then left with her sister.

"Bye, Cherry!" Darla waved, she was in a better mood now.

"Bye, Cherry." Atticus echoed.

The three then kept waiting. There came a woman with her short-ish light brown hair and aqua green coat and a man beside her with black hair and a curved mustache, wearing a dark brown suit with a matching hat. 

"Aunt Stacy, Uncle Jeffry!" Jessica recognized them instantly and happily ran to them.

Atticus and Darla joined in. 

Stacy hugged Jessica real tight, then she hugged Atticus and looked down. "Oh... And who is this?"

"This is Darla," Jessica introduced them. "Our family adopted her back in April."

Jeffry looked down to Darla, she looked familiar. "I feel like I've seen this child from somewhere..."

Darla looked like she was going to be sick to her stomach. Was he going to hate her too?

"Well, welcome to the family, Darla." Jeffry gently ruffled up the girl's hair.

This calmed Darla right down. Jeffry and Stacy took their nieces and nephew to their car.

"I hope you all like turkey, because I have one waiting for us at home for our supper." Stacy told them as she sat while her husband took the wheel and drove them to their house after packing the trunk with personal belongings.

"I love turkey." Atticus said.

Darla licked her lips. "I love turkey... Though it makes me sleepy."

Jessica giggled a little. "Yeah, that'll do it."

Stacy smiled as they went along, she then found herself thinking about the kids, and about her own and sighed. 

"Stacy, it'll be alright... It's all over now..." Jeffry calmly told his wife.

"I know... But... We were so excited..." Stacy couldn't stop thinking about her little dilemma, but she tried to cheer herself up since she had company now.

'I wish there was someway to help them get a child.' Atticus thought.

Atticus's new phone started to vibrate and he got a new text message, due to being in the same place and being away from home, it was from his friend: 'Text me or call me at this number if you want, my sister got me a volunteer job in Morningside Orphanage while she'll be meeting with other members of the UN. - Cherry'

"Cool." Atticus said.

Darla looked over at him. "What's up?" she asked, not knowing he had gotten a text from Cherry.

He then showed her his text he got from Cherry.

"Oh, okay." Darla smiled, she then kept looking forward.

Stacy and Jeffry pulled up to an apartment building. 

"Well, so far here we are," Stacy looked back at her nieces and nephew with a smile. "I really hope you kids enjoy your stay."

Jessica, Atticus, and Darla smiled.

"I'm sure we will." Atticus said.

Stacy and Jeffry helped the kids with their things and gave them a guest room which they had been saving for their child who would have been born, but there were guest beds out for them all to sleep in. There was also a private bathroom in the room. Darla still felt the room was small comapred to her old bedroom in Hollywood, but she knew not to complain. After unpacking, Stacy went to start getting dinner ready for all of them.

'This trip, why do I still feel like there's going to be excitement?' Atticus thought.

"What's with Atticus?" Darla asked.

"He's probably thinking to himself, he does that a lot when no one talks to him." Jessica replied as she sat on the couch, finding something to watch on the television.

Atticus was exercising while thinking his own version of him as Sherlock Holmes. 

"Dinner's ready!" Stacy called.

The kids then went to join Jeffry and Stacy for dinner as she was carving the turkey. There was also helpings of baked potatoes, steamed broccoli casserole with cheese and crackers, hot buttered rolls, and Stacy told them not to fill up if they wanted dessert since she had a strawberry cheesecake in the fridge for them if they wanted any. 

A mouse seemed to be climbing up onto the table as the family sat down to eat. Atticus noticed the mouse and decided to help it out by hiding it and giving it enough food for it and who ever he or she was going to be eating with. The mouse blinked, he smiled at Atticus and quietly thanked him and went off with the scraps.

Stacy looked to see the mouse, but unlike most women who hate mice, she actually smiled. "I swear... That mouse is a regular customer of mine..." she chuckled.

"You mean you don't hate mice?" Darla asked.

"I could never," Stacy shook her head with a smile. "I've always loved them. The mice here never hurt me, though rats are a different story..." she visibly shuddered about the bigger rodent cousin of innocent and playful mice.

"I gave him enough food for him and his friend or friends." Atticus said.

"That was very nice of you." Stacy smiled.

Jeffry kept eating, he was a little calmer than most nights.

"You okay, Uncle Jeff?" Jessica looked to him.

"Just tense, I have this strange feeling something bad will happen..." Jeffry sighed.

Stacy looked visibly worried, then looked to their guests. "Kids, I don't know if your mother has told you, but your uncle is a detective... He usually picks up on things no one would really think about."

"You know, I didn't want to say anything, but I had two feelings, one that something bad was about to happen during this trip and two, during this trip will possibly be an adventure." Atticus said.

"You could be onto something, boy," Jeffry said to him as he curled his mustache between his fingers. "You sound like an expert with this detective stuff."

"He got to work with Eddie Valiant to find out who framed Roger Rabbit." Jessica informed.

"Yep." Atticus said.

"My lead inspector will let me know if anything's happened," Jeffry tried to calm his wife. "Don't worry, dear... We're all going to be okay, I'm sure of it."

Stacy smiled to him, resting her face against his shoulder. "You're probably right..."

The kids nodded as well. After dinner, the kids were exhausted, not just from their dinner, but also the traveling. Jeffry eventually got a call from work to tell him to report to the local orphanage. 

"What is it, dear?" Stacy asked.

"Kidnapping, I believe..." Jeffry sighed a bit. "A poor innocent child too with no one to worry about her... Well, I better get going."

"Can I come?" Atticus asked even after the traveling and the dinner he wasn't tired.

"It might be dangerous, but if you think you can handle it." Jeffry gently looked down to the boy.

"I've faced danger many times, I think I can handle whatever we face in this case." Atticus said.

"Alright, be stay close to me in case this is very serious." Jeffry gave a nod, putting his hat on.

"Oh, be careful you two." Stacy felt worried for the orphan who was kidnapped and about her husband and nephew's safety.

"We will." Jeffry and Atticus said as they began to leave for the case.


	3. Chapter 3

Jeffry got into the driver's seat, hooking up his seat-belt, then getting ready to drive once Atticus would be buckled up. After so, they made a stop to Morningside Orphanage. They came for official detective business and came to the owner, named Sunny. 

"Thank goodness you're here..." Sunny said to them, she looked exhausted and devastated like a deathly worried mother, she was with the other orphans who were awake despite it being bedtime. She saw that Atticus was next to Jeffry. "What's with the kid?" she asked.

"He's my nephew, he wanted to come along." Jeffry explained. "Now, the kidnapping?"

"Yes, come with me..." Sunny went to show them the room, there was one bed that was a little messy, but there was a cat with a scarf by it and he appeared to have glasses too, Cherry also seemed to be with the cat. 

Cherry looked over and saw the two.

"Cherry?" Atticus said out of confusion.

Cherry got up and walked over to them, she looked to the boy she knew. "Atticus, what are you doing here? We called the cops."

"I'm a detective, young lady." Jeffry told her, then went to talk with Sunny in private.

"What are you doing here, Cherry?" Atticus asked her quietly.

"Didn't you get my message?" Cherry asked him. "I'm working here as a volunteer."

"Oh, yeah, I did, so did you see of what happened here?" Atticus asked her.

"I didn't actually see anything because I had to put the kids younger than Penny to sleep," Cherry explained the best she could. "There were parents coming in today and Penny was hoping to have the chance of being adopted since this woman looked at her, but looked to the red-headed girl with a ponytail saying she was prettier than Penny..."

Atticus was writing all of it down. "And was there anybody with Penny afterwards?" He asked her as a detective.

"Not that I'm aware of..." Cherry shrugged a little. "I told her I would be right back... But someone just took her away... I don't know who it was and neither does Sunny... The other orphans don't know either, it's like she vanished." 

The old cat came by. "I actually saw... I was hidin' under Penny's bed, but I saw." he spoke up.

"And your name is?" Atticus asked.

"Rufus," the cat replied. "I'm the owner's pet cat... I usually come along to meet these orphans, but I was very close with Penny. I always tried to keep her confident whenever adults would visit to adopt children, but no one would come for her... There are two bad ones to look out for who really wanted Penny to help them in a heist to find a rare diamond since she was the only one able to fit down there... They're Madame Medusa and Mr. Snoops."

Atticus wrote down both of those names. "Can you tell me what they look like?" He asked the old cat.

"Medusa has wild red hair, she wears way too much make-up, and she's very thin and bony... Mr. Snoops is short and FAT in a yellow suit, has curly brown hair and glasses," Rufus described. "I feel that woman doesn't have a nice bone in her body, but she pretended to be nice to Penny..."

Atticus wrote down everything the old cat said.

"That's about all I know..." Rufus sighed. "I just can't believe they took poor Penny... All for a jewel they can't and don't deserve to have."

Cherry gently hugged him and stroked him to have him gently purr. "That poor girl... She seems so sweet and innocent too."

"Don't worry you two, I promise that Penny will be found and rescued and that Madame Medusa and Mr. Snoops will be arrested for kidnapping her." Atticus assured them both.

Jeffry came by. "Well, I haven't been able to find out anything... Atticus, did you find out something?"

Cherry looked over as she stood by Rufus.

"Yeah and I know who kidnapped Penny." Atticus said, giving his uncle his notes.

Jeffry took them and looked them over. "Atticus, this is incredible... Where did you get this information?"

"I told him." Cherry answered for Rufus, she didn't want to hog credit like that, but she didn't think Jeffry would understand that Atticus could talk to and understand animals, it sounded too far-fetched to tell an adult.

Atticus understood of why Cherry said that. "Yeah, Uncle Jeffry, this is my best friend, Cherry." He introduced her to him.

"Oh, you're Cherry," Jeffry sounded familiar. "Yes, Atticus, your parents mentioned sometimes you'd go with this girl... You two sound like you lead interesting lives."

"I don't know about me being interesting..." Cherry shrugged.

"Well, I think you're interesting." Atticus said to her.

Cherry merely shrugged. Rufus sighed, he was really going to miss Penny. He was the only one who gave her enough attention before Cherry came to volunteer and help look after her and the other orphans. 

Jeffry looked at Atticus's notes. "Where could these fiends be?"

"They could be anywhere or one of them could also be here in the city, once in a while, after getting a call about Penny trying to escape." Atticus guessed from his detective skills.

"I just feel bad for that poor girl, she's so sweet and innocent..." Cherry looked distant. "She seemed to be the most depressed about being an orphan."

"Well, I promise that after this is all over, she will get her own family." Atticus said.

"That'd be a nice happy ending for her." Cherry sighed.

"She sounds like a little angel." Jeffry looked down to his nephew and new friend.

"From what I've seen," Cherry shrugged with a smile, then frowned. "She almost sounded like she was giving up hope... Poor dear..."

Atticus knew that he had to find Penny and rescue her and find her a family after solving the case.

"Do you want help?" Cherry asked Atticus, knowing that look in his eye for adventure, she was also glad he was going to help an orphan girl he didn't even know.

"Yeah, we could use some help." Atticus said.

"This sounds very serious, but if you're sure you're up for it." Jeffry said to the girl.

"Penny still needs help, when we're narrowing Medusa and Snoops down, I'll call my sister," Cherry replied. "She's been in military, secret service, and air force one."

"Wow, that is one powerful ally." Atticus said.

"Your parents must be proud to have her..." Jeffry sounded astounded with Cherry's sister.

"Yeah, she's the best, she usually visits me once a month or so," Cherry smiled. "I plan on going to the Smithsonian Museum with her sometime..."

"I hope to join you both." Atticus said.

Cherry shrugged.

"Does anyone know where this Madame Medusa is?" Jeffry asked out loud.

"She has her own office, but she has a hideout somewhere... You'll have to look for her, but it might be dangerous..." Sunny informed.

"Me and Cherry have faced dangers before." Atticus said.

"Just be extra careful, I don't trust women who keep crocodiles as pets." Sunny visibly shuddered.

"I wouldn't either," Cherry nodded. "We have to track her down."

"We'll go by her office and demand explanations." Jeffry commanded, due to being the adult of the group.

"Alright." Atticus said.

"Thank you, Detective..." Sunny gently told Jeffry.

"Of course, ma'am." Jeffry tipped his hat to her, he then took Cherry and Atticus to his car to track down Madame Medusa.

They CONTINUED to drive down the road to where Madame Medusa's office was. There appeared to be two white mice going there as well. Jeffry warned Atticus and Cherry to stay in the car and then he would climb up the stairs and bang on the front door. Atticus wasn't going to let any opportunities slip by, so he then lied to Jeffry saying that they would stay in the car. The mice were getting away as Jeffry pounded on the door, demanding to be let in.

Cherry came to see the mice and kneeled to them. "What are you two doing?"

"Ve are from zhe Rescue Aid Society," the female told her. "Ve vere called on a mission here to save a poor little girl."

"But Madame Medusa got away and we couldn't catch up to her!" the male added.

"We'll help you catch her and rescue Penny." Atticus whispered to them.

"Ve know a vay to get zhere," the female told him, she and her comrade didn't seem surprised that Cherry and Atticus could talk to them. "Find your own vay, ve found out vhere she vas going."

"Where is Madame Medusa going?" Cherry asked. "We need to help Penny!"

"She's on her way to Devil's Bayou where she took Penny away to with Mr. Snoops!" the male mouse warned them.

Jeffry growled, he could see Medusa was now gone. Atticus had wrote down the location of where Penny was and where Madame Medusa was going. 

"This could be very serious, we don't know how dangerous this woman could be..." Jeffry remarked as he looked at the address.

The white mice were leaving.

Cherry came close to them. "Where are you going?"

"Ve'll meet you there, ve have a vay to get their ourselves." the female mouse replied, seeming to be in a rush.

"Well, alright." Atticus said.

"I know they're professionals, but it seems hard to believe that a mouse can save human children." Cherry shrugged as the mice went away.

Jeffry rubbed his neck. "I'm getting too old for this stuff..."

"We'll help them with this case." Atticus said.

"What can we do?" Cherry asked. "We don't know where Devil's Bayou is."

"Oh, right, that's the first thing we need to do." Atticus said.

Jeffry honked his horn. "We'll solve this in the morning... It's getting quite late..."

Cherry went with Attius to Jeffry's car to get back to the apartment building. Once they were in Jeffry's car, he drove off. 

Darla was carried in Stacy's arms as it got late for someone her age to be staying up and she gently placed the former child star into the bed, tucking her in gently. 

"Good night, little Darla..." Stacy whispered, kissing the girl's chubby cheek, then going off to let her sleep.

Jeffry's car arrived at the apartment building.

Stacy hummed as she did some cleaning and saw her husband arrive back with their nephew. "Oh, how did it go?"

"Not so good, Medusa got away with that girl, Penny..." Jeffry sighed. "I'll have to leave home and track her down to Devil's Bayou."

"Oh, that sounds so nerve wrecking..." Stacy sounded worried for her dear husband.

"Well, I'm heading to bed." Atticus said.

"Okay, good night, dear, your sisters are already in bed themselves." Stacy smiled to Atticus.

"Thanks, Aunt Stacy." Atticus said as he made his way to the bed that he was going to be sleeping in.

Stacy smiled to him, then went to get her husband a cup of coffee before bed. "Honey, don't work yourself too hard... You know the doctor says stress isn't good for your health..."

"I know, but still." Jeffry said.

"It'll work out... I know it will..." Stacy poured his cup, putting it in front of him as she sat down to join them before they would go to bed themselves. "You're a very brave and smart man."

"I know and I can see a true ace detective in Atticus." Jeffry said to his wife as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Yes, he was always a bright boy based on what I've heard from Emily," Stacy smiled.

"Yes and the information I got from him, I think he got the information from sources that weren't human." Jeffry said.

Stacy looked perplexed. "Who else could he had gotten them from?"

"I know that it might sound crazy, but I think he got it from animals." Jeffry said.

"Animals?" Stacy asked. She wasn't even surprised. "So he knows then...." she whispered to herself about Atticus's ability to communicate with some animals, it was very rare in certain people.

"Yeah, I just have this feeling that animals gave him the information." Jeffry said.

"That's not too strange..." Stacy smiled calmly, stroking some of her light brunette hair behind her ear. "You may not talk to animals, neither does anyone in your family... Have you ever thought it could be possible?"

"Wait, are you saying Atticus has the ability to talk to animals?" Jeffry asked his wife.

"It's not that unusual, hon..." Stacy tried to calm her husband. "You never know what hidden talents few unique people may be able to possess."

"True," Jeffry said. "But, still, I didn't know he had that ability."

Stacy shrugged. "Well... Maybe he got it from someone in his family... Not from Emily or Patrick..."

"That or he could have been blessed with it." Jeffry said.

"Or someone else in his family has the ability..." Stacy repeated, putting more emphasis on her words. Her husband obviously didn't understand quite yet.


	4. Chapter 4

Jessica was 'dead asleep' and no surprise, had her CELL PHONE in her hands as she was knocked out. Darla was snoring quietly, clutching the mangy old teddy bear, she had a fluffy sleep mask over her eyes like in her glory days. Atticus was now tossing and turning and then his eyes began to glow as the scene changes to DREAM sequence.

Atticus could see a deep, dark abandoned like place. There were yells and screams heard that were very distant, but they sounded menacing. There were skeletons all around and water splashing. "W-What's going on?" He asked in his dream and began to walk through the path, even if it was dark.

There were drips of the water heard. It was quiet until there was a blast of water heard crashing in the distance and the scream of a little girl Atticus did not know.

"Hello? Who's there? Can I help you?!" Atticus called out.

The girl's screams sounded like they were coming SLIGHTLY closer. It was followed by yelling from an evil woman and threats of being fed to crocodiles if she doesn't get a certain diamond.

"A diamond?" Atticus said as he go to where the sources of the screaming and yelling was coming from.

 

He seemed to be going down a loop with no end, but there was a skull that had a glittering and shining PINK diamond in it. It wasn't too far away now as it was glowing all around the room and made the cavern look more pretty than dangerous. Before he could reach it, he had woken up in between his sisters in Stacy and Jeffry's guest bed.

"Was that a dream? No, felt too real to be a dream." Atticus whispered. "And what was that diamond? And why did an evil woman need a kid to get it when she could just get it herself?"

Darla was actually awake and coming back into the room with a glass of milk in her hand. She rubbed her eye with a small yawn and saw her older adoptive brother. "Atticus, are you feeling alright?"

"Huh? Oh, hey, Darla," Atticus whispered. "I just had a weird dream, even though it didn't feel like a dream."

"You've been having a lot of those lately," Darla sipped her milk, rubbing her eye again. "I keep having bad dreams... Not just about what I did back in Hollywood to DANNY and Sawyer, but.... My family... Like, my real family..."

"Those must have been MEMORIES from way back in your past?" Atticus suggested.

"I guess..." Darla sighed. "Just worried I suppose... Like... What would they think of me if I became the most adored actress in all the world and just turned down to a brat who brought her own career down because of jealousy with the spotlight being on animals?"

"I don't know." Atticus said.

Darla sighed, her eyes with tears. "I miss them sometimes..."

"They'll always be in your heart." Atticus said.

Darla finished her warm milk and yawned again, she sounded more sleepy this time and smiled to her new brother. "You didn't have to let me get adopted by your family..."

"I know, but I chose to." Atticus said.

Darla smiled sleepily to him, then fell asleep back with him. Atticus was staying awake, he knew he had to wait for Jeffry, but he couldn't help but think of the poor orphan girl named Penny who needed serious help. He just couldn't wait any longer and was even considering traveling alone, or maybe getting Cherry to come with him somehow and make this a secret mission and where he was going with his second option. Darla, Jessica, Stacy, and Jeffry kept sleeping while Atticus was secretly packing and getting ready to get to Devil's Bayou. After he was done packing he called cherry on his CELL PHONE.

Cherry jolted from her sister's guest room and unlocked her phone and put her ear to it. "Hello...?" she asked tiredly.

"Cherry, get your bags, we're going on a secret mission and it's at Devil's Bayou." Atticus whispered.

Cherry yawned very loudly. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" she murmured, slightly cranky.

"I know, but it's now or never and I think that now is the perfect time, so get packing and meet me at the airport." Atticus whispered.

"Where are we going?" Cherry whined.

"We're going on a secret rescue mission." Atticus whispered.

"Can't it wait until like after lunch or something...?"

"Everyone will be up by then." Atticus whispered.

Cherry moaned, but did pack up once they hung up and would meet at the airport. They needed to get to Devil's Bayou and would probably be there by nightfall if they took the right plane at the right time. 

Of course they both left a message for Cherry's sister, Atticus's aunt and uncle, and Darla and Jessica. THE SUN was nearly coming up when Cherry and Atticus met.

"This better be worth it..." Cherry still sounded grouchy once she met Atticus.

"I know that this is going to be worth it." Atticus said.

"It better be or you're paying for my INSOMNIA bills..." Cherry yawned.

Cherry and Atticus went to get food for their carry-on bags, but they were told there were no actual FLIGHTS to Devil's Bayou and they were forced to go outside. 

There was an old man with an eye patch that had a helicopter and there were no planes actually going to Devil's Bayou, but the helicopter man had a sign which had him actually planning on going there unlike the airplanes.

'What luck.' Atticus thought.

"I don't trust that guy... I'm GOING BACK to Teresa...." Cherry mumbled, walking off, she just wanted to go back to sleep.

"It's either him or sneak into the next FLIGHT to Devil's Bayou and which would be Madame Medusa and who knows when she'll be here." Atticus said while trying to convince Cherry.

Cherry yawned. "Whatever..."

The man was about to leave with his helicopter, seeing no one was interested in flying with him to Devil's Bayou.

"Stop! We'll take that FLIGHT!" Atticus called as both him and Cherry ran to the man.

"Really?" the man sounded like he couldn't believe that news. "What's the catch?"

"No catch, just get me and my friend to Devil's Bayou." Atticus said.

"Well, okay," the man sounded delighted. "Get ready for a ride!"

The helicopter went off to take them out of New York and to Devil's Bayou. As they passed, they could of sworn they saw an albatross with a scarf and a pilot's cap going by.

"That's weird, why would an albatross be wearing a scarf and a pilot's hat?" Atticus wondered.

Cherry was sleeping on the way. 

It was indeed night now as the helicopter made its way to Devil's Bayou. They landed near a swamp. Cherry snorted as she slowly woke up when the helicopter landed and her hair immediately poofed up like a giant, sweaty puff ball. Atticus didn't laugh as this was a serious, secret mission.

Cherry tried to flatten her hair down. Was this where they were supposed to go. A woman had called for a girl named Penny. This was it then. The lights of the place that must have been Madame Medusa's went up.

"Penny...?"

"Come on, let's go and find her and help her." Atticus whispered.

"I'm comin'..." Cherry patted her hair down, she heard static in it as she followed Atticus.

A little girl with dark blonde hair in pigtails with buck teeth, wearing blue overalls with a white dress shirt, light blue tights and black shoes was wandering about. She had something yellow in her hands as she looked determined to get away from the place she was forced to stay in now. She then got startled as atticus tapped her on the shoulder and then when she saw him and Cherry she was about to scream, but Atticus covered her mouth before she could.

"Shh, don't worry, we're here to help you." Atticus whispered to her.

The girl looked very unsure, she had not seen them before and had been tricked many times in the past. "Who are you and why are you here?" she asked, curious and suspicious at the same time.

"Cherry and Atticus," the older girl replied. "We're gonna help get you out of here."

"Yeah, you can trust us and we're going to help you also get a family." Atticus whispered.

The girl blinked. "B-But... Aunty Medusa promised that I would get 'dopted... She's mean to me though..."

"Well, unlike her, we promise you that we keep our word and will get you out of here and will help you get adopted." Atticus whispered.

"Yeah, we don't know who to yet, but we'll think of something." Cherry said to the girl.

The girl pressed her lip, but she shrugged. "Okay... We better get outta here before Brutus and Nero come by... My name's Penny."

Two crocodiles were already on the way.

"Pleased to meet you, Penny." Atticus said as they began to make their way through the swamp quietly.

"Come on, let's try to get away through there." Cherry suggested quietly.

Penny put her teddy bear in her ovaralls pocket as they were going to pass through without trouble. Brutus and Nero were close unfortunately and they were going to take Penny back to Madame Medusa's place.

"Let's stick together." Atticus whispered as he held Penny's right hand.

Cherry took Penny's left. "Do you know where to go?"

"Yes, there's a way out, but I've always been taken away before I could get that far." Penny stated.

"Well, then let's get going." Atticus said.

Cherry, Penny, and Atticus tried to cross the swamp grounds without getting caught. And where it was looking like they were getting away. Brutus and Nero were trained to get Penny and they were going into the water to get her and bring her right back to Medusa, maybe even take her 'new friends' with her.

'So far, so good.' Atticus thought.

Brutus and Nero came close into the waters.

"What's that...?" Cherry noticed something odd in the waters.

"I don't know." Atticus said as he noticed it too.

The crocodiles came up and ambushed them down into the water. The humans got back above the surface with coughs and sputters. They could have drowned. Penny was taken in one of their mouths as the other one tried to get Cherry and Atticus.

"Let her go, you big brute!" Atticus exclaimed to the one crocodile that had Penny.

"Watch out!" Cherry called, then the other crocodile got her and went for Atticus as well.

"Let me guess, these two are Madame Medusa's pet crocodiles, right?" Atticus asked Penny

Penny answered yes the best she could, but since the crocodiles would dip them in the water while going back home, she sounded bubbly. There was a fat man in a yellow suit with curly brown hair like Rufus described back at the orphanage waiting for Brutus and Nero to come in with Penny, but grew curious of Cherry and Atticus. 

"He's just like Rufus described him." Atticus whispered to Cherry.

Cherry didn't say anything, because she didn't want swamp water in her mouth, but she could see.


	5. Chapter 5

"Great job, fellas," the man smiled to the coming crocodiles with Penny and the extras. "Now these two, I don't know... Penny, do you have a brother and sister?"

Penny refused to speak to him once they came to Medusa's place.

"We're her new friends." Atticus said.

"Tell it to someone who cares." the man rudely said. "So you tried to run away, huh?" he looked to Penny and the crocodile with the orphan in his gripping jaws.

"Put me down, Brutus!" Penny demanded as she was dangling by the skirt of her overalls. Penny was then dropped to the floor and she glared up at the crocodile who had her. "Cranky old dragon..."

"Now, put us down, you old dragon." Atticus said to the crocodile that was holding both him and cherry up.

The other crocodile, Nero, dropped Cherry and Atticus down.

"Nice work, g-g-good boys!" Mr. Snoops tried to be good with the reptiles like Medusa was, but they hated him and tried to bite him.

"There, there, Teddy," Penny happily held her PRIZED posession. "I won't let 'em do that to you again... Don't cry."

Snoops mocked Penny for caring about her teddy bear more than anything else as Cherry and Atticus just glared at him. He was one of the accomplices for kidnapping this poor orphan child.

"Are you three okay?" Atticus asked the girls, including Penny's teddy.

"Not the worst thing to happen to me." Cherry said, her hair seemed to be flat now because of the water, but it was still frizzy here and there.

"Teddy and me will be okay," Penny smiled to Atticus, she knew now she could trust him and Cherry. "Come on... Let's go to my room..." she told her new friends, climbing up the stairs.

"Okay." Atticus said as they followed her.

Penny took them into her room, and she went to the bathroom briefly to get her night gown on and a night cap for her teddy bear.

There was slight ruckus and argument heard downstairs.

"Nice home, I guess..." Cherry shrugged.

"Yeah, if you like to live with kidnappers." Atticus said.

Cherry scoffed.

After a while, Penny finally came back, she was crying now though as she clutched her beloved bear. She heard a song in her head which made her heart sink.

'Poor kid.' Atticus thought.

"Penny, are you okay?" Cherry asked.

Penny sniffled. "Aunty Medusa promised she'd take me back to the orphanage... She wants me to stay here and get the diamond for her... She said no one would want a homely little girl like me..."

Penny bowed her head. "These grown-ups came before Aunty Medusa brought me here... There was this girl with red hair in a ponytail named Natalie... They said she was prettier than me..." She went to her balcony, very upset as she hugged her teddy tight. "I wonder what my mother was like..." she sighed, then remembered a song she heard as a very small baby in her head as she looked down to see a doe with her fawn as they grazed in the grass together and leapt away together.

Cherrry yawned only slightly, then thought of something. "Atticus, didn't you say your aunt had just lost a child herself?"

"Yeah, she has." Atticus said.

Penny didn't listen to them, she just watched the baby animals who had parents as she cried. Since she was here, she had no chance of being adopted by a loving family and her 'aunt' even told her so. She then stopped and wiped her eye as she decied to get some sleep. The white mice from before were now coming as they heard Penny's cries.

"As soon as we get her out of here, we'll introduce her to my aunt and uncle." Atticus whispered.

"Penny, dear... Now don't cry..." a familiar female voice was heard.

Penny looked to Cherry.

"I didn't say anything." Cherry said to the orphan girl.

Penny looked back, still curious of where the voice came from, they were the only ones there, weren't they?

"That voice sounded familiar." Atticus said.

Penny wiped her eyes, she saw the two mice Cherry and Atticus met from earlier.

"We're here to help you." the male mouse replied.

"Hi..." Penny looked to them, curiously. "Where'd you come from?"

"We found the bottle w-with your message..." the male explained. "W-We've come to rescue you."

"Did you hear that, Teddy?" Penny grew instantly excited to hear that news. "Our bottle worked!"

"How are we getting out of here?" Atticus asked.

"Trust us, ve vere trained for this." the female mouse piped up.

"Did you bring someone with you?" Penny asked. "Like, the police?"

The male mouse blinked and looked anxious about answering that. "Um... Well... No, it's just us... We're members of the Rescue Aid Society."

"We've never heard of that society." Atticus said to the mice.

"Ve have our founder to thank," the female explained. "Euripides Mouse from Ancient Greece... He has saved a lion from a sore paw after causing such terrible trouble for the Grecian people."

"I'm Bernard and this is my associate Miss Bianca," the male introduced. "I'm actually just a janitor... But Miss Bianca chose me as her associate for some reason..."

"I just thought you could use a little adventure..." Bianca fluttered her eyes to him like she were flirting with him, which made him blush through his white fur.

Atticus was now looking out the window as if to try to think of how they could get Penny out of there.

"We just all have to work together." Bernard stated.

"If all of us work together, we have a little faith," Penny QUOTED. "That's what Rufus says..."

"Penny, we know it's late, but we have to escape right now." Cherry said as she noticed Atticus trying to get away.

"But I just got caught by Brutus and Nero," Penny replied, then lifted the hem of her night dress to show her torn panties. "Look what they did to my pants!"

'There's just gotta be a way to get us all out of here.' Atticus thought.

Penny, Bernard and Bianca were planning on getting Brutus and Nero stuck in a cage-like trap, such as the elevator to lock them in and draw them in with Bianca's perfume since they were attracted to it. Cherry thought it was a good idea, but the big thing was that they had to decide a time before Penny would be forced to get the diamond for Medusa and Snoops. The timing had to be perfect. When would be a good time to escape?

Penny had a broom over her arm with her Medusa impression. "Whatcha thinkin' 'bout, Atticus?"

"Trying to think of when the perfect time is." Atticus said.

"It better be soon..." Bianca said. "Ve have our own plan."

"Y-Yes... As risky as it sounds..." Bernard nodded in agreement.

"It's not as simple as that, it has to be perfect." Atticus said.

"Well, what do you suggest?" Cherry asked him.

"For right now, I don't know, let's get some sleep and maybe I'll get an idea of when the time would be perfect in the morning." Atticus said.

"Ve can't vaste any time though." Bianca reminded him.

"I know." Atticus said to the female mouse as he went to get ready for bed.

Penny put down the night cap of her teddy bear and put him in bed next to her to get some sleep.

Cherry helped tuck her in. "Guess we're spending the night."

Bernard and Bianca were still plotting about getting Penny out of here as part as their Rescue Aid mission. Atticus came back out, wearing pajama's. Cherry still wore her jacket and got settled. Penny fell fast asleep in the bed, cuddling with her teddy.

"Pleasant dreams." Atticus whispered to Penny.

Bernard and Bianca snuck out, they were going to discuss things with their new friends who were natives in this Devil's Bayou swamp while the humans were sleeping. During that night, Atticus had another vision.

It was too blurry to exactly tell anything, but there appeared to be snow. There was also singing in the background that sounded like it was underwater, but Atticus was not under the water. There were fuzzy images coming up to Atticus as they held something that was pink. He couldn't recognize the voices, but they sounded friendly enough to him.

"Atticus, we want to thank you for letting this happen..."

"Yes, it couldn't have been done without you or your friend."

"Who are all of you and is this a dream or a vision? And if it is a vision, then why am I having these visions?" Atticus asked them.

The voices seemed to grow distant, it was still unclear what was happening and why Atticus had visions.

"Penny, time to get up, dear~" Medusa's voice came into the dream world of everyone.

Penny whimpered, she didn't want to get up because she knew what she would have to do today.

This caused for Atticus to wake up. "Dang it." he mumbled.


	6. Chapter 6

Cherry growled when she was forced to get up, folding her arms. "And I thought Forte was a lousy wake up caller..." she grumbled under her breath.

"Well, we might as well get up and get ready." Atticus said.

"I don't wanna..." Penny sighed as she forced herself out of bed.

"You poor thing..." Cherry sounded sad for her, but due to waking up so early, she sounded cranky and grumpy.

"I know this isn't something any of us want to do, but if we don't, she'll send those two crocs after us." Atticus said as he got out of bed.

"He's right..." Penny nodded.

Bernard and Bianca were coming now after a big night they had, but they climbed into Penny's overall pocket, knowing that Medusa was afraid of mice and would have them killed if she saw them. 

"You don't mind us, right, dear?" Bianca asked.

"Go ahead," Penny looked back at them. "Just don't like 'Aunty' Medusa see ya."

"I'm sure they won't." Cherry stated.

"Yeah, because then she'll just freak out and want to kill them." Atticus said.

"Be safe." Penny said to the mice as she got herself ready for the morning, it was nearly dawn again.

Cherry sighed, she took off her glasses and cleaned them a bit, the cloth squeaking a bit from the liquid wash.

'I hope we can get out of here soon and get Penny to safety, but of course, we will have to watch out for those croc,s let's just hope that cage will hold them. And hopefully Madame Medusa won't be able to catch us.' Atticus thought.

During breakfast, all Medusa seemed to talk about was how Penny was going to get the diamond for her and she was going to be a very rich woman. No one knows what would happen to Penny after all of this though. Bernard and Bianca snuck crumbs whenever the time was right before they would be seen by the villains. Atticus had overheard of what the woman had said and thought that woman was completely heartless and then thought about his vision when she said diamond. 

Could that dream he had a while back really have been a real vision? There was only one way to find out by doing what Madame Medusa told them for now at least. Cherry and Penny just ate quietly.

"Something's wrong..." Cherry said abruptly as she forced herself to eat this horrible cooking.

Snoops glared at the three of them, but kept quiet.

'That diamond that Madame Medusa was talking about, could it be the same diamond I saw in the vision I saw a while back?' Atticus thought while he was eating, even if the food was horrible.

Meanwhile, Stacy woke up first back in New York and was making bowls of cereal for the family. She hummed as she danced a little and came to the fridge to open it to get the milk and noticed there was paper on the door. She picked it up and read to see it was a note from Atticus, even if the note told her not to worry, she was very worried for him. "Oh, dear..." she whispered softly.

"He's gone off to rescue Penny, hasn't he?" Jeffry asked as he entered inside.

"That's what I've just read," Stacy showed her husband, a little overwhelmed. "It's brave, but... What if something happens to him?" 

Jessica and Darla were now coming, talking among themselves about a 'text message Jessica was given' from her old boyfriend, Max Anderson, wondering if it would be worth seeing him again.

"We just have to pray that nothing horrible happens to him while he's on the rescue mission." Jeffry said to his wife.

Stacy sighed. "I hope you're right... I don't want to have to put Emily in worry about her only son in this trouble too..." she then started to stroke her stomach, seeming to forget there was no baby in there anymore. She then removed her hand and softly smiled to him.

"If he's been through more dangers like he says he has, then maybe everything will be alright," Jeffry said. "Hopefully."

"We can only hope." Stacy smiled gently.

Darla and Jessica then sat at the table, awaiting their aunt and uncle.

"Where's Atticus?" Darla asked as she sadly held the teddy bear which was slowly wasting away due to how old it was.

Jeffry and Stacy looked at each other, knowing that they had to tell their nieces about where Atticus was after reading the note he had left for them.

"Is he okay?" Jessica asked.

"Why didn't anyone go with him!?" Darla grabbed her curls in a frenzy.

"Now, now, he's going to be just fine," Jeffry did his best to calm him down. "We've heard he's been through stuff like this before... He reminds me of myself."

"Yes, you were always the adventurer." Stacy smirked to her husband.

"Wow really? I never knew that." Jessica said as she looked to him.

"Yeah," Jeffry smiled sheepishly. "Before I became your uncle, I had some adventures myself as a kid..."

"Who knew Atticus would get it from you though?" Stacy chuckled since she was the one related to Atticus and Jessica's mother and Jeffry was their uncle by marriage.

"Well, you can never predict of who will be the newest adventurer in the family." Jessica said, while laughing.

"That's for sure," Darla folded her chubby arms with a smile. "That's how I got into this family."

"Really, what happened?" Stacy asked.

Darla blinked. "You don't know what happened to me back in Hollywood?"

"We don't really pay attention to news unless someone dangerous is out or unless it's weather related." Jeffry informed.

Darla explained to her and Jessica's aunt and uncle of what happened in Hollywood and hoped that they wouldn't hold what happened there affect of how they felt about her now.

"Oh, sweetie..." Stacy gently patted Darla's hands. "That wasn't a very good thing to do..."

"I know..." Darla moaned.

"Did you learn from it?" Jeffry asked.

"Yes," Darla looked up to her new family members. "Atticus and Cherry made me see what drove me into doing it... I promise to never hurt anyone again... I just hate myself for it..."

"It's in the past, you'll be all over it before you know it." Stacy soothed, sounding more maternal now.

"Couldn't agree more." Jessica said and then begins to think. 'Atticus, please be safe.'

After breakfast back in Devil's Bayou, Medusa wore a coat while everyone else was outside to a musty looking cavern.

Snoops was glaring at Penny and kind of bossing her around, calling her and her friends brats, but didn't sound threatening in the slightest.

"Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Snoops," Medusa mused, then cupped the orphan girl's cheeks. "That's not how we speak to our darling little Penny..."

"Wow, she must really want this diamond very badly." Atticus mumbled as he saw of how Madame Medusa's acting was.

"We can't go down there..." Penny backed up, cuddling with her bear. "Teddy's 'fraid..."

"Poor Teddy..." Cherry offered sympathy for the orphan.

"Yes, poor Teddy!" Medusa snatched the bear away from Penny. "Why don't you all go down and I'll keep Teddy safe up here with me?"

"Give him back!" Atticus demanded.

Medusa refused to do that, nearly throwing Penny into the hole, but she didn't fall in. "Get the diamond for me... or YOU'LL NEVER SEE YOUR TEDDY AGAIN!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am..." Penny sounded afraid. "I-I'll go..."

"We'll go with her." Atticus said.

"Just as long as you get the diamond..." Medusa nearly growled at them. "You're not to come up until you have it." 

Cherry held Penny close as they were all slowly going down, secretly also with Bernard and Bianca.

"We understand." Atticus said to her while they were being lowered down to where the diamond was suppose to be.

Cherry grunted in disgust once they were down in the cavern. "No lighting... Little sign of hope... Cold and gloomy... I should have a daycare center in here..." she smirked a little at the last thing she said.

Penny really wanted her teddy bear, but she helped Bernard and Bianca come out so they can start getting the diamond, there were many bones about. "Pirates used to come here." she said.

"How do you know that?" Bernard asked.

"Him." Penny pointed to a skeleton with a captain's hat and coat.

"This is just like my first vision, well almost, let's see where that diamond is." Atticus said.

"Vision?" Cherry asked him. "What are you, psychic?"

"I had a dream the night before we left for Devil's Bayou and where it showed this exact same location it also showed some kind of diamond." Atticus explained as best as he could.

Cherry snorted, not really believing that. "You need a vacation..."

Penny looked ahead and shook a little as the cavern started to rumble.

"Penny, vhat is that!?" Bianca nearly screamed.

"It's the water, I don't like this part!" Penny shrieked.

"Why, what happens?" Atticus asked her.

"The water's comin'!" Penny cried.

The whole cavern shook and a giant wave of water was coming for them. Luckily, it would not drown them.

"Oh, great, the water." Atticus groaned.

The water came by and splashed them instantly, but it didn't last very long. 

Bernard and Bianca saw something colorful and kind of glowing.

"H-Hey, I see something!" Bernard called to his group and pointed in the distance.

"Is it a glow?" Atticus asked the mouse. "And if it is a glow, what color is it?"

Bernard squinted his eyes trying to explain. "Vermilion."

"That's the same glow that I saw in my vision, I wonder..." Atticus said. "Let's look into that skull."

Penny was scared. 

"Miss Bianca, you stay here, we'll check it out." Bernard said to the female mouse. "I'll see if we can find a way over there."

"Yeah." Atticus agreed with the male mouse.

Bianca was already ahead however.

"Bianca!" Bernard cried for her.

Cherry held the lantern, she thought maybe they should go towards the light. Atticus and Penny followed her so they could see what the light was. The light seemed to fade from the darkness.

"Cherry, hold up the lantern again." Bernard told the older human girl.

Cherry did just that, showing that inside a skull, there was the diamond, and the colorful colors came back just as Bernard described.

"Holy mackerel, th-that's it!" Bernard cheered.

"The Devil's Eye!" Bianca cheered. "Ve've found it!"

"That's the diamond I saw in my vision." Atticus said.

"Medusa, we found it!" Penny called up.

Mr. Snoops and Medusa were fighting over who got to see it, but Medusa had won.

"Good girl, let's get it out now." Medusa grinned greedily.

"One problem, it's inside a skull!" Atticus called out.

"It's stuck tight!" Penny added.

"You get that diamond or you'll never see daylight again!" Medusa threatened, not caring if the jewel she wanted was trapped inside a skull or not.

"*groans* There's gotta be something we can use to open up the skull so we could get the Devil's Eye diamond." Atticus said.

Penny saw a sharp sword, she thought maybe that could help. "How about that?"

"You better let one of us handle it, how old are you?" Cherry asked.

"Six." Penny replied.

"Right, we'll take care of this." Cherry said since she was a little girl and might get hurt with the implement easier.

Atticus grabbed the sword and began to use it to open up the skull. The sword was wedged under the eye socket and against the diamond, it was very tricky getting it out. 

"Oh, Atticus, you'll fall!" Bianca sounded worried for him.

The water was starting to come in, it would drown them in here instead of the other spot they were in.

"This has got to work." Atticus said as he began to push down.

Bernard was overwhelmed by the water. "F-Forget about the diamond! Let's just get out of here before we drown!"

"The water's coming in!" Cherry picked Penny up into her arms as the water came closer and closer.

"Please pull us up!" Penny cried.

"Not until you get the diamond!" Medusa told them sharply, not caring if they drowned or not.

Atticus began to push down hard, so hard he cracked the skull and grabbed the diamond. "We got it!" He called out.

Snoops and Medusa heard that, very thrilled. Snoops pulled them all up to the surface to get what they needed out of there.

"At last, the Devil's Eye!" Medusa took it from Atticus's hand before the kids could climb out with their mouse friends. "Just look at it... Filled with power for its owner..."

Snoops came to her side, he wanted to see it too, but Medusa was being very selfish.

"Everyone okay?" Atticus asked Cherry, Penny, and the mice.

"We'll be okay..." Cherry shook herself a little.

Penny wrung the water out of her pigtails. Bernard and Bianca came back to hide in Penny's overalls pocket again as Brutus and Nero were coming around. 

"That's great, now let's hope that Medusa will honor her end of the deal, we give her the diamond and she gives you back teddy." Atticus said to Penny.

"Yeah," Penny remembered as they were going back to Medusa's. "You promised!"

Medusa smirked down to Penny, still keeping the stuffed bear. "I've grown quite attached to Teddy, my dear..." she unzipped the bear's back and placed the diamond inside of his stuffing.

"What did you just put into Teddy?" Atticus asked, seeing she put something into the teddy bear.

"None of your concern." Medusa told him sweetly, then shoved him aside.

Bianca and Bernard had enough, they decided to set their plan into motion.

"Sure looked like something very valuable." Atticus said.

"None of your business!" Medusa hissed to him.

"Okay, fine, whatever." Atticus said.

Medusa went with Snoops to glorify their new treasure. Penny glared at Medusa, she really hated the woman now. Atticus and Cherry felt the same way about the woman, she was heartless and greedy and was most likely going to leave with the diamond without Snoops.


	7. Chapter 7

Penny went to her room without Teddy, feeling empty and angry. Cherry looked down to see the mice coming.

"We have a plan to defeat Medusa and get Penny back home to the orphanage." Bernard said once they were alone.

"Ve think it vould really help." Bianca added.

"Right now, I think your plan could be really helpful and useful." Atticus said.

"Ve also got some friends to help." Bianca smiled.

"Who?" Cherry asked.

"Swamp folk." Bernard explained.

As he said that, the rodents they had met in the bayou came out, even with their dragonfly friend, Evinrude.

"Cool." Atticus said.

"We'll done get y'all outta here!" the lanky rodent with a straw hat and a jug said.

"No mercy, we may be small, but we're all mighty!" the female rodent with an apron, night cap, and rolling pin in her paw declared sharply.

"Alright then, let's do this." Atticus said.

The rodents told Atticus and Cherry all about the plan. 

"This better work..." Cherry sounded doubtful, she just hoped it would work.

"I hope that this plan works too." Atticus said.

"Get to work then." Cherry told the rodents.

Ellie Mae and Luke went with Bernard and Bianca to help with what they can. Penny was going to get out of this horrible place by tonight and get adopted by a better deserving family.

"We should tell Penny about the plan." Atticus whispered to Cherry.

"I'm not sure what she could do, but okay." Cherry shrugged.

Penny lay in the bed, she looked so unhappy without her Teddy and she was trapped in this dreadful place.

"Penny, we have something to tell you." Atticus said.

Penny looked over. "What is it?"

"You're going back to the orphanage." Cherry stated.

Penny blinked. "Really? Is Aunty Medusa gonna let me?"

Atticus explained to Penny about the plan and that Medusa didn't know about it.

"So you guys will take me there?" Penny sounded happier now.

"Yes, just as long as the plan works, and it should." Cherry smiled reassuringly.

"Yeah." Atticus agreed.

Penny frowned. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It should, it can't fail." Cherry assured.

Penny hugged her pillow. "As long as you all know what you are doing."

"Don't worry, the plan won't fail." Atticus said.

"Ya never know..." Cherry said mysteriously.

The rodents got their fellow swamp animal folk to help such as a turtle, rabbit, mole, and small owl. 

Bernard and Bianca went to gather rope when Penny, Cherry, and Atticus were called downstairs, only to find they were faced with Medusa with a gun.

"Something tells me she will kill us if we try to follow her or even try to escape." Atticus muttered.

"Now, if either of you try to follow me,... You'll get blasted!" Medusa threatened.

Penny ignored her fear and walked over. "You give me my teddy bear, you promised!"

Medusa smirked and put the bear against her face, not revealing she hid the diamond in the stuffing. "Teddy goes with me, my dear. I've become quite attached to him." she chuckled.

Bernard and Bianca got the rope tied to make Medusa fall back into their trap.

'Come on, work... Work...' Atticus thought.

Medusa laughed evilly and stepped back, and screamed as she tripped backward over the rope, accidentally setting off a gunshot and the teddy bear went flying in the air. Before Penny could get her bear, the back was shown to be sparkling and Mr. Snoops dove in for it. 

"Run!" Cherry called.

Penny ran for her teddy bear after Medusa made Snoops fall to the floor, she grabbed her teddy and ran off with Cherry and Atticus.

"Now to follow the rest of the plan." Atticus stated.

Penny led Cherry and Atticus to Medusa's vehicle as the swamp creatures were attacking Medusa and Snoops and Brutus and Nero were going for Bianca's perfume, only to crash and get trapped inside Medusa's elevator. 

"It won't start!" Penny struggled with the engine.

"Dang it!" Atticus interjected. "We need a jump start!"

A blast shattered the window, alarming Penny.

"Look out!" Bernard called.

Ellie Mae jumped down onto Medusa's head and she whacked the bad woman with her rolling pin. Medusa was DIZZY, but due to it being a small rolling pin, not for long and was about to shoot again until the owl put a stick of dynamite into her gun. Cherry hit the engine a little.

"Oh, please start..." Penny whimpered. 

Bernard and Bianca climbed to help with the mole.

"Come on, work, you old piece of junk!" Atticus exclaimed at the machine.

"Start the spark lever!" Bernard commanded.

A large honk then was heard.

"Not the horn, the spark lever!" Bernard corrected. "Digger, hold the plug..." he handed the mole the plug, then went to show the humans.

"Which one's the spark lever?" Cherry asked.

"It's that doohickey on the steering wheel." Bernard explained.

"Oh, yeah, I've seen my parents start it." Atticus said as he started it up.

There were then fireworks shown at Medusa's place, followed by her yelling about them. 

"We're not getting any gas!" Bernard yelled.

Cherry looked to the other rodents. "Care to help?"

"Fill 'er up, Luke!" Ellie Mae told the male. "Hurry! All of it!"

Luke didn't want to, but he did that, which nearly made Bernard's face explode. 

"Hold on, everyone!" Penny called as they could go then and start their escape.

Medusa saw them trying to get away and grabbed a hold of the loose thread to follow them.

"And we're off!" Cherry chanted.

Ellie Mae saw Medusa try to grab a hold of one of them and she whacked the woman with her rolling pin again. Medusa screamed, flying back, but grabbed the rope again. The fireworks exploded the house and the crocodiles flied out and they held each other as they were going to fall and get hurt. Medusa hit them as they came by when they landed into the water safely and were being used as jet skis. 

"Look out, the river boat!" Bianca cried.

"Steer away, Penny." Cherry advised.

Penny did it the best she could and when she did, the rope snapped and Medusa, Brutus, and Nero crashed instead just as Mr. Snoops decided to get away.

"Wahoo!" Atticus cheered.

"There goes my diamond!" Medusa cried when she was defeated and couldn't get down, because even Brutus and Nero turned on her and threatened to bite her.

"Ve must get ourselves home then." Bianca said once they came to a safe part away from Medusa's riverboat.

"Where are you guys going to go?" Bernard asked.

"We're going to get back where we belong and take Penny back home," Cherry put her hand on the orphan girl's shoulder.

Penny hugged her teddy, but noticed something weird and took out the Devil's Eye. "It's the diamond! What do we do with it?"

"I think my sister can answer that question." Cherry answered with a smile.

"Yeah, she should help." Atticus said.

Cherry, Atticus, and Penny made way back to New York City.

"Oh, thank goodness you're all safe." Stacy hugged her nephew.

"What's that, Cherry?" Teresa noticed the gem.

"It's the Devil's Eye, Madame Medusa was gonna keep it for herself to get rich quick." Cherry explained.

Teresa took it. "I should get one of my colleagues on this... They could donate to the Smithsonian."

"Thanks, Sis!" Cherry beamed.

"I can't believe you did that all by yourselves." Jeffry smiled at the kids.

Penny looked to Jeffry and Stacy with a smile.

Stacy looked to her. "And who is this?"

"This is Penny." Atticus said.

"Hi..." Penny held her bear as she looked up at the couple. 

Stacy and Jeffry smiled fondly at the girl. 

"Where are you headed, Penny?" Jeffry asked with a fatherly smile.

"Back to the orphanage..." Penny stared down at her bear. "Teddy and I are gonna try to get adopted again."

Stacy smiled, she then remembered how she and her husband had been trying to have a child and thought of something. "I think I have a better idea."

"I had the same idea." Atticus said.

Stacy and Jeffry took Cherry, Atticus, Penny, and Teresa back to New York.


	8. Chapter 8

Cherry came into the orphanage to find Sunny. After reuniting with Penny and glad she was safe and not hurt in any way, Stacy and Jeffry told them why they came and that they would like to have a special request. 

This was being broadcast on the news too. Jeffry carried Penny as Stacy held Teddy and they all shared a hug as the orphans sang for Penny being able to be adopted like she had always wanted.

"I just know that Penny will be happy with Uncle Jeffry and Aunt Stacy." Atticus smiled.

Stacy and Jeffry smiled fondly at their newly adopted daughter.

"I know what it's like to be adopted, you'll love it." Darla smiled to her new cousin.

Penny saw that Darla's bear was mangled up. "You need a new teddy..." she looked down at her own bear, then held hers out to Darla.

"Oh, I couldn't..." Darla said to her.

"I insist." Penny smiled.

Darla blinked, then gently took the teddy and hugged Penny. "Welcome to the family, Penny!"

Jessica smiled. Rufus then came to join Penny into being adopted.

'I hope they don't mind having a pet.' Atticus thought.

Darla looked down to Rufus, a little nervous, she remembered her last encounters with certain cats.

"Penny, you are a brave little girl to do what you did all by yourself." the news reporter came to the former orphan with a microphone. 

"Oh, I didn't do it all by myself," Penny replied, holding Rufus into her arms. "Atticus and his friend Cherry, and two little mice from the Rescue Aid Society helped me."

"Mice?" the reporter sounded surprised. "Rescue Aid Society?"

"Yes, they rescued me," Penny smiled, remembering she was on camera and whispered something, then looked into the screen. "Hello, Bianca! Hi, Bernard!" She waved, hoping they were watching from wherever they were.

"You can talk to these little mice?" the reporter asked like he thought the girl was crazy.

"Jerk." Atticus scoffed.

"All the time," Penny answered the reporter, putting her hands in her pockets. "Mice can talk like anybody. Didn't you know that?"

Jeffry and Stacy chuckled with their new daughter's sense of humor and possible imagination.

"Well, gosh, I didn't know, but I do know now, Penny..." the reporter still sounded dubious about this. 

Stacy gently hugged Penny. "Happy New Year, sweetie."

"This sure is going to be one year Penny won't forget." Atticus said.

Jeffry and Stacy took Penny to the room where Jessica, Darla, and Atticus had stayed.

"When your cousins go home, this will become your new room," Stacy showed with a smile, hanging up her coat. "We'll paint it any color you'd like."

"It looks lovely, Mom." Penny said, feeling very happy that she got to say that word as she walked in. She then noticed a crib in the distance. "Um, who's that for?"

"I'll tell you later, honey..." Stacy said softly.

Jessica was discussing with Jeffry about what to buy a little girl for birthdays or Christmas for when the times would come.

Darla hugged Penny's old teddy. "I can't believe she gave me her bear, Atticus..."

"I guess it was her sign of friendship." Atticus said.

Darla shrugged, but still smiled. "I guess I'm gonna be okay... After all, Santa didn't give me coal this year, even if the Christmases I spent before, I always had new toys donated by the adoring public.... I never noticed how lonely I was as a starlet before I met you and Cherry back in April."

"It's alright, that is the past." Atticus said.

Penny came over to her new cousins. "What's it like to go on 'ventures?"

"Interesting," Darla answered with a smile. "You get to meet all sorts of different people, you can go to new worlds, discover and try new things..."

"I'd like to go on one... Well, another one..." Penny smiled.

"Maybe sometime you will." Atticus said.

"I'd really like to." Penny smiled.

Jessica came with her phone. "That was Mom and Dad, they want us back home tomorrow."

"Aww..." Penny and Darla groaned that they would have to split up for a while now, but at least they were now family members and would be likely to see each other more often and where that was a promise.

Stacy and Jeffry decided to have a feast to celebrate Penny into their family before everyone would go to bed and so Atticus, Jessica, and Darla would be getting home.

"I sure am going to miss Penny." Atticus said.

After everyone ate, they got some sleep. 

On the plane ride back home, Atticus got another call, only this time, it was from Mo and not from Cherry. It was at the point of the FLIGHT where cell phones were allowed to be used.

"Hi, Mo." Atticus said with a smile.

"You got any plans this summer?" Mo asked, happy to hear from him.

"Not that I know of, why?" Atticus asked her.

"The school James and Elizabeth sent me to had a random drawing before we got out for winter break," Mo explained. "The PRIZE was a free trip to Australia for summer vacation and any guests of the winner's choosing was allowed to go with them. If you're not doing anything, would you like to come with me?"

"I'd love to." Atticus said.

"That'll be great, just let me know like a week in advance," Mo smiled.

There was a distant female voice called.

"I gotta go, Atticus, I'll talk to you later." Mo said with a smile before hanging up.

Atticus then hangs up his cell phone with a smile knowing what his answer will be. "Well, I know what I will be doing in summer." he said as he began to imagine of what Australia was going to be like.

There were bright skies, the weather was a lot warmer, there was a golden eagle flying about with several insects about. Darla and Jessica slept as Atticus daydreamed.

The End


End file.
